Spiral rotary ship or similar vessel



April 3, 192a 1,665,012 J. c. BECHARD SPIRAL ROTARY SHIP OR SIMILAR VESSEL Filed Oct. 21, 1927 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 r ATTO NEY Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH C. IBECHARD, FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPIRAL ROTARY SHIP ORSIMILAR VESSEL.

Application filed October 21, 1927. Serial No. 227,794.

.My invention relates to a new and useful type of boat which spins through the water, the boat being waterproofed throughout so that water passing overhead does not enter the interior. Unlike the submarine this boat is intended for use on the water but by reason of its peculiar construction it is adapted to cut its way through waves or breakers with a minimum amount of resistance. The speed which may be attained with this model illustrated in the drawing is enormous.

It is an object of my invention to provide a boat of the ellipsoidal type wherein the outer shell is caused to revolve around on the keel, the shell having spirally disposed vanes on its surface to accelerate its speed ahead. Theinternal arrangement is such that the compartments within are independent of anddo not revolve with the shell. A stabilizing keel is provided upon which the boat turns.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the detailed description which follows.

I attain these objects and advantages by means of the mechanism illustrated in the drawings wherein;

Figure 1 is aside elevational View of my ship showing the fins or vanes extending over the exterior.

' Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the front end of the ship.

Figure 3 is an elevational view partly in cross-section showing the interior construction.

Figure 4c is a cross-sectional view of one of the: ends showing the manner of mounting the-ship for rotation of the exterior while'the interior remains stationary.

. Figure 5 is a detail view of the cross truss which secures the interior of the ship against movement with the exterior.

Figure 6 is a detail viewof the stabilizing vane.

Reterringto Fig. 1, 1 is the outer shell of the ship substantially ellipsoidal in design. and being mounted for rotary move ment on its ends 2, 8 which are journaled on the keel 4. Spirally disposed parallel vanes" or fins 5 are provided on the exterior oft-he shell to provide tractlon.

seal the open ends of the shell 1. other securing means may be used to hold the The shell 1 may be constructed of wooden lagging or sheet metal or in fact any suitable material, reinforcing ribs 6. being used internally thereof to strengthen the same.

The longitudinal trusses 7 of which there should be atleast four in number define the stationary interior of the ship within which are to be contained the motive power for propelling the ship and the passenger and other accommodations. I V

I will now describe the endmechanism by which it is possible to rotate the ship without movement of the interior compartments. As both ends are alike the description of one applies likewise to the other. e

Referring to Figure 4, 10 and 11 are the concentric sleeves, the outer sleeve 10 being known as the drive sleeve, and the inner sleeve Has the stationary sleeve. A gear 12 is pressed and keyed on to the inner end of the drive sleeve and it is through this gear that rotary motion is imparted by some motive power within the ship (not shown).

A collar 13 is also pressed on the shoulder of the drive sleeve, having a complementary collar 14 surrounding it, the contacting sur faces havinmball-bearings 15 therein. The

longitudinal trusses 7 are secured at their ends to the outer collar 14: through the wooden collar 16.

The ends of the shell 1 are wedged between a wooden collar 17 of. a shape to conform to the interior of the shell ends, and an external cap member 18. A clamping collar 19 is threaded on the'drive sleeve and abuts the wooden collar 17. ,An outer clamping collar 20 having a flange 21 is provided externally of the cap member 18 and coacts with the clamping member 19 to Screws or last mentioned members in rigid position.

A cross truss. member 22 having lugs 23 at its ends for securement. to the longitudinal trusses? is provided with a semi-circular bend 24 and by means of the complementary I member 25 is'secured to the inner end ofv the stationary sleeve and preventsit from turnmgwith the drive sleeve.

The outer end of. the drive sleeveiis internally threaded to receive thethreaded Shoulder portion 27 of a collar 26. A bearing member is mounted on the shoulder of the clamping member the inner ring 28 of which is rigid on said clamping member,

the outer ring 29 moving independently of the same. A cap 30 having a flanged portion 31 snugly fits the periphery of the outer ring 29.

It will be notedjn Fig. 4 ot the drawings that a clearance 32 is provided between the collar 26 and the stationarysleeve 11. Thesleeve 11 has a circumferential rib 33 thereon which forms with tlie -slioulder27 of the collar 26 a stufling box for receiving suitable stufiing 314-. f 'i 1 The stationarysleeve 11 projects beyond the cap member 30 and is journaled 'to the.

endsof the keel by means of thesplit collar 36.

The apparatus; for controlling the keel stabilizer 40 as wellas the rudder 41 passes through theinterior of the sleeve 11. Any

suitable means may lie-employed for the rudder and I have shown one metho'd'of controlling the stabilizer 40. The keel i isof a narrow cross section, by reason of which itmay begthrownofli center. I have found that by eniployi-ng=the V-shaped member which is hingedtothefront edge of the keel that-thelteel may be stabilized. By means of the rods and bevel gears thestabilizer may to show theinterior arrangement of the ship it: may be said that in actual constructionthe inner stationary sleeve Will be-of sufiicient size to allow the entry ofpassengers at least iara stooped position. Other pipes or c0nnections healed? into the interior of the ship through this sleeve-u It is the purpese here to. show a self-contained ship which revolves on its force. y i

In operation, the driving force is applied to the driving gear fron ra motor or engine (not shown) whereby the drive sleeve is causedito rotatecarrying with it; the outer shell; By reason of the ball-bearing means thefilong itudinal trusses do not move and the cross truss holds the innersleeve against movement aswvell as insuring against the two sleeves coming together. The shell revolves 'WlthOlll) any resistancefofl ered by the motoror: engine or the weight of passengers within,

by reason of the. trusses supported" on the ball-bearing means: 1 Of course, other types ot firiction-reducing devices may be used keel and has propulsive such as roller bearings. The revolution of the shell on the water causes the spiral fins or vanes to cut the water and propel the ship ahead. By reason of its tapered ends the ship is suited to readily cut through waves and breakers Without materially reducing its speed.

The shell may be provided With a transparent surface at some portion of its surface to provide illumination for the interior, how ever, this 1S QPIJIOIZLHJL.

All that has been said above in the description of my preferred embodiment is offered by way of illustration and not limitation I do not wishto be limited to the exact structure of the preferred embodiment shown and described, or to any particular material used in the construction of parts, or to thedesign of parts, but desire protection asagalnstany. variations in struc ture which utilizeithe principle of invention and fall within the purview of my in-f vention and are Within the spiritfland scope of the following claims r- 1' The invention having been setforth, what is claimed as new and useful, is: 1. A boat comprising an imperforate shell, 21; keel, said shell being mounted foraxial movement on said keel, concentric sleeves at each end of said shell, said shell being secured to the outer sleeve and beingiadapted to turn therewith,.a driving means on; said outer; sleeve. atone end ofthe shell, bearing members on the outer sleeves,; longitudinal truss members rotatably mountedfonsai'd bearing members, a cross truss means for holding said inner sleeve away from said outersleeve, said inner sleeve being secured to the keel, and drivirrg means secured to said tubular member for rotating said shell. 2.. In the structure set forth in claim 1, stabilizing 111621113011 the front part of said keel, and means'withi'n said shell for controlling said'stabilizing means comprising rods, bevel gears and eccentric members.

. 3., A self-contained rotary ship comprising a: substantially .elliQ soidal shell; a keel,

means for rotating sai shell on said keel,

said, means comprising concentric tubular members at each endcfsaidshell,each.of the innner, tubular members projecting beyond the outer tubular member beingfsecured to the. keel, a flanged cap member secured to said inner tubular'm ember, a, hearing member disposed betweenxthe flange of said cap member and said outer tubular member, said shell being securedat its ends to said outer tubular-member,a second bearing member securecbto each orsaid outer tubular members interrorlyoi saidishell and having a collar member therearound, longitudinalRtrussinembers secured to said collar members, a cross truss member secured'yto said horizontal truss: members and secured to .said inner tubular member, a driving gear secured to said outer tubular member, whereby the shell is caused to revolve with said outer tubular member.

4. In the structure set forth in claim 1,

5 stabilizer secured to said keel, said stabilizer comprising a V-shaped member secured to forward part of the keel, controlling means within said shell, rods, bevel gears, eccentric members, said V-shaped member being actuated directly by said eccentric members.

Signed at Fall River, in the county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, this fourteenth day of October, 1927.

JOSEPH C. BEOHARD. 

